Ganguly may turn to spin

India are considering attempting the biggest coup in their history by falling back on the skill which has been the hallmark of their nation's cricket - spin bowling.

Captain Sourav Ganguly said yesterday the tourists were tempted to play two spinners for the first time in the series, in Anil Kumble and Murali Kartik, as they seek to spoil Steve Waugh's farewell party by snatching their first series win away from home in a decade.

A place in the Indian attack has become available through the injury-enforced absence of Zaheer Khan, and after his fellow left-arm paceman Irfan Pathan took only 1-160 in his place on debut in Adelaide, Kartik is looming as an attractive replacement.

The left-armer orthodox spinner took only 2-117 in his only tour match, against Australia A in Hobart, after being rushed to Australia on the eve of the second Test. But the 27-year-old was more than a handful for Ricky Ponting's one-day side in its recent tri-nations series in India. While failing to take a swag of wickets, Kartik regularly bewitched Ponting's men - including taking 1-30 from 10 luckless overs in a losing cause in the final.

With leg spinner Kumble having enjoyed some success through two five-wicket hauls in the series, and the SCG pitch expected to favour spinners later on despite its declining reputation as a slow-bowling haven, the Indians will be sorely tempted to give Kartik his fifth Test, and his first since March 2002, when they finalise their side tomorrow morning.

"We'll have to have a look at the wicket before we decide," Ganguly said, adding Kartik had had enough cricket of late to warrant selection, despite only one three-day game.'

Apart from wicket-taking potential, Kartik appeals as a pressure builder working in tandem with Kumble, whereas India's seamers can be relied upon to offer plenty of loose balls.

"We were really impressed with what we saw of Kartik in India," said Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist. "OK, it was one-day cricket and it's different, but he really controlled the ball well. Whatever the plan was - over the wicket, around the wicket, whatever line it was - he was very accurate and able to execute well what he was trying to do."

While SCG curator Tom Parker is predicting the bounciest and most well-grassed pitch seen at the ground in some years, he is forecasting some assistance to the slow bowlers late in the match.